Page:The Liquefaction of Gases.djvu/44

40 latter was connected with a communicating tube in two lengths, reaching from it to the condensing pumps; this tube was small, of brass, and 9 feet in length; it passed six inches horizontally from the condensing pumps, then rose vertically for two feet, afterwards proceeded horizontally for seven feet, and finally turned down and was immediately connected with the sliding tube. By this means the latter could be raised and lowered vertically, without any strain upon the connections, and the condensing tube lowered into the cold bath in vacuo, or raised to have its contents examined at pleasure. The capacity of the connecting tubes beyond the last condensing pump was only two cubic inches.

When experimenting with any particular gas, the apparatus was put together fast and tight, except the solid terminal screw-plug at the short end of the condensing tube, which being the very extremity of the apparatus, was left a little loose. Then, by the condensing pumps, abundance of gas was passed through the apparatus to sweep out every portion of air, after which the terminal plug was screwed up, the cold bath arranged, and the combined effects of cold and pressure brought to unite upon the gas.

There are many gases which condense at less than the pressure of one atmosphere when submitted to the cold of a carbonic acid bath in air (which latter can upon occasions be brought considerably below -106° .). These it was easy, therefore, to reduce, by sending them through small conducting tubes into tubular receivers placed in the cold bath. When the receivers had previously been softened in a spirit lamp flame, and narrow necks formed on them, it was not difficult by a little further management, hermetically to seal up these substances in their condensed state. In this manner chlorine, cyanogen, ammonia, sulphuretted hydrogen, arseniuretted